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Episode 6: Paying Tribute to Edna Lewis

A Behind the Scenes Look at Episode 6

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Emmy-nominated Padma Lakshmi is internationally known as an actress, food expert, model, and The New York Times best-selling author, as well as the recipient of the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Padma also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo's Emmy award-winning Top Chef, currently in its 15th season.

Padma was born in India and grew up in America. She graduated from Clark University with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India's first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model, working in Europe and the United States.

Padma established herself as a food expert early in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the "Best First Book" award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She followed this success with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, which has over 150 recipes from around the world alongside intriguing personal essays. In 2016, She released her food memoir, The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate, followed shortly thereafter by The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs.

In addition to her food writing, she has also contributed to such magazines as Vogue, Gourmet and both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

For the Food Network, she hosted Padma's Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world. She also hosted Planet Food, a documentary series on the Food Network and broadcast worldwide on the Discovery Channel. Padma was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role as host and judge on Bravo's Top Chef, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Show. Other television credits include co-hosting Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated morning news program.

In 2009, Padma co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America alongside world-renowned Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. After suffering from the disease for decades herself, she has been able to make amazing strides with the foundation, like launching the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT, where she gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009. Her efforts were recently recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 15,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

In addition to these projects, Padma is a savvy businesswoman with multiple companies of her own. Her debut home décor line, The Padma Collection, hit Bloomingdale's stores nationwide with tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces. She also created Padma's Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, and natural spice blends, to hard goods.

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 16th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and newest edition Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

Tom appears in and served as executive producer on A Place at the Table, Participant Media's documentary about food insecurity in America, produced and directed by his wife, Lori Silverbush, by Kristi Jacobson. A Place at the Table, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures in 2013, has become the launchpad for a national movement centered on ending hunger in the United States.

In an effort to broaden his long-standing social and political activism, Tom co-founded Food Policy Action in 2012 in collaboration with national food policy leaders, in order to hold legislators accountable on votes that have an effect on food and farming. He has also been an outspoken voice on issues like GMO labeling and the use of antibiotics in food sources, and he continues to lobby for better anti-hunger policies in America.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, Wholesome Wave and Food Policy Action. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 16th season. She was head critic on Top Chef Masters, host of Top Chef Just Desserts, Bravo’s pastry-focused spinoff of the Top Chef franchise, and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. She also hosts Iron Chef Canada and was the co-host of The Feed..

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features recipes inspired by Gail’s world travels—all made with accessible ingredients and with smart, simple techniques for successful family meals and easy entertaining. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

Gail joined Food & Wine magazine in 2004, where she directs special projects, writing a monthly column and working closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives. During her tenure, she has been responsible for overseeing the annual Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants, and worked as the assistant to Vogue magazine’s esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten. Throughout her career, Gail has contributed to several books, including It Must’ve Been Something I Ate by Steingarten, Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City and The New American Chef, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, “Star Plates”—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail makes frequent television appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachel Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York magazine, Travel + Leisure, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post. Along with her annual appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, she makes regular appearances at the nation’s foremost culinary festivals, including the Austin Food & Wine Festival and Charleston Wine & Food Festival.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their two children, Dahlia and Kole.

Graham Elliot, a critically acclaimed chef, restaurateur and television personality, is one of the most recognized faces cooking in America today. Graham, a self-proclaimed "Navy brat" who has traveled the world and all fifty US states, has accrued many prestigious accolades including multiple James Beard Foundation Nominations.

Graham serves as judge on Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series Top Chef alongside Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. He is also the host and star of Bravo's digital series "Going Off the Menu." Before returning to the Top Chef franchise where he appeared on two seasons of Top Chef Masters, Graham spent 10 seasons with MasterChef & MasterChef Jr. As a life-long baseball enthusiast, Major League Baseball has recently tapped him to be the host of their MLB Grub Tour as well as their Culinary Correspondent.

At age 27, Graham became the youngest four-star chef to be named in any major U.S. city and was named one of Food & Wine magazine's "Best New Chefs” in 2004. In May of 2008, he opened his eponymous restaurant, Graham Elliot, which went on to "become one of only 15 restaurants in the U.S. to be awarded two Michelin stars.

Graham returned to Lollapalooza in 2017 as the culinary director, an honor he's held for the past decade. He is also gearing up to launch his first ever restaurant project in Asia, Coast in the upcoming MGM Cotai. In addition, he’ll also be unveiling his new concept, Gideon Sweet on the historic Randolph street in West Loop.

Graham resides full time in Chicago with his wife Allie and his three boys, Mylo, Conrad, and Jedediah.

A Los Angeles native, Amanda Baumgarten attended Le Cordon Bleu in London and went on to work at four different Michelin-starred restaurants including La Tante Claire and Le Gavroche in London and Melisse and Patina in LA. From there, she went on to become Executive Sous Chef of Paperfish before joining Ford's Filling Station as Executive Sous Chef. After competing on season seven of Top Chef in Washington, D.C., she became Executive Chef of Los Angeles's Water Grill. Having helmed one of the city's most acclaimed seafood restaurants, she was recruited to open Herringbone in La Jolla. From there she went on to open her own concept Waypoint Public in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. Currently, Baumgarten is living in Chicago and honing her cocktail skills.

Chef Annie Pettry is a nationally recognized executive chef and owner of Decca in Louisville, KY. After training at the International Culinary Center in New York, she cooked alongside renowned chefs in New York City, Asheville and San Francisco, before moving to Louisville to open Decca in 2012. At her restaurant, Pettry applies classic French technique to Southern and Midwestern ingredients, with an emphasis on wood-fired cooking. She was named Restaurant Hospitality's "15 To Watch in 2015," FOOD & WINE magazine's "The People's Best New Chef" nominee for the southeast in 2015 and Starchefs' Rising Star in 2014.

Chef B.J. Smith is the Owner and Executive Chef of Smokehouse 21, Smokehouse Tavern, and Kim Jong Smokehouse at Pine Street Market in Portland, Oregon as well as the newest location, Smokehouse Provisions, in Vancouver, Washington. Smith brings more than two decades of culinary experience to his role, applying both classic and modern cooking techniques to high quality ingredients provided by local farmers including Cattail Creek Farm, Prairie Creek Farms and Your Kitchen Garden. Growing up in a restaurant family, Smith recalls spending most of his childhood at his parent's Coney Island restaurant in South Bend, Indiana where his first role in food was as a junior prep cook. His love for cooking brought him to the former Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. Post-graduation life led him to the kitchens of nationally acclaimed restaurants: Le Bernardin and Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City, Citrus in Los Angeles and Paley's Place, Veritable Quandary and Olea Restaurant in Portland, Oregon. In his spare time, Chef Smith likes to DJ and loves making music as much as he does food.

Los Angeles native Brooke Williamson has carved out an impressive resume full of leading roles and professional achievement, such as being the youngest female chef to ever cook at the James Beard House and a runner-up on Top Chef season 10 in Seattle. As the co-owner and co-chef, along with husband Nick Roberts, of successful ventures including Hudson House in Redondo Beach, and The Tripel, Playa Provisions, and the culinary retail boutique Tripli-Kit in Playa Del Rey, the culinary duo strives to bring a bit of LA's gourmet beachside vibe to the South Bay of Los Angeles. In October 2016, the wife and husband team debuted their fifth concept, a fast-casual Hawaiian restaurant called Da Kikokiko in Playa Vista, featuring three of Hawaii's most popular street foods: shave ice, poke, and musubi. Before the success of her hospitality empire, Williamson's career began as a teacher's assistant at the Epicurean Institute of Los Angeles, followed by a pastry assistant at Fenix, under the tutelage of Michelin-starred Chef Ken Frank. She later worked as the youngest sous chef at the nationally acclaimed restaurant Michael's of Santa Monica, before staging at the renowned Daniel restaurant by Chef and Owner Daniel Boulud in New York City. Two years later, Williamson was appointed her first Executive Chef position at the notable Los Angeles restaurant Boxer, which led her to opening the Brentwood eatery Zax as executive chef, where she began to develop her signature California-inspired cuisine—infused with local ingredients and global flavors. In addition to her experience competing on Top Chef, Williamson has no fear on camera and has also participated on other national TV shows including Top Chef Duels, winning a battle on Esquire Network's Knife Fight, and hosting MTV's first foodie series, House of Food.

Texas native Casey Thompson made her professional start under celebrity chef Dean Fearing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, one of Texas' most historical fine dining restaurants. From there, she opened and became the Executive Chef at one of Dallas' most popular Asian restaurants, Shinsei. After finishing as a finalist and earning the "Fan Favorite" title on Top Chef season three in Miami, Thompson settled in San Francisco and traveled the world, learning techniques from places as far as Thailand and Argentina. She became the American Ambassador for an Argentinian Malbec, a brand of Moet-Hennessey, and cooked her way through the Napa Valley learning the art of pairing farmed foods with wines. Thompson split her time between the West Coast and Texas and opened Brownstone Restaurant in Fort Worth to critical acclaim. Shortly after, she returned to Top Chef to compete on season eight in New York City against an All-Star cast. In the spring of 2014, she opened Aveline restaurant and The European bar in the heart of San Francisco. She currently works as the Executive Chef for the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in the San Diego area and continues her private dining business in the Napa Valley.

Emily Hahn, Chef at Warehouse Bar + Kitchen has been cooking in the South for eleven years. Her culinary career began at Mamma Zu in Richmond, Virginia, working directly with Ed Vasaio. After three years at the helm of Mamma Zu's kitchen, Hahn moved to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute. Upon graduating, she made her way to Charleston to work under James Beard Award winner, Mike Lata, at FIG Restaurant. Hahn's passion for foods of different cultures and travel soon led her to Patagonia, Chile, to work at one of the top-rated fly fishing lodges in the world, Martin Pescador Lodge. After returning from Chile, Hahn took a part-time position at Warehouse and eventually took the lead in the kitchen as the Executive Chef, all while growing her empanada business, Empanada Mamma. Her cuisine is bright, flavorful, and elevates simple ingredients in inventive ways. In 2015, Hahn was named one of Charleston's "Rising Star Chefs" by FOOD & WINE Magazine and Eater Charleston's "Chef of the Year."

Current Residency: Marco Island, FLOccupation: Chef de Cuisine at Ario

Leading the culinary team at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort's signature restaurant, Ario, Chef de Cuisine, Gerald Sombright brings his 15 years of experience, culinary pedigree and detail for precision in fine dining restaurants to the kitchen. Sombright originally hails from St. Louis, MO., where he cut his teeth at Cielo restaurant and Annie Gunn's under the tutelage of James Beard Award-winning Chef, Lou Rook. Most recently, Sombright was the restaurant chef for PB&G at the Four Seasons Resort in Orlando under the direction of Award-winning Chef Fabrizio Schenardi. Prior, he headed up the prestigious Wit & Wisdom restaurant at the Four Seasons Baltimore Waterfront led by Celebrity Chef Michael Mina. At his current restaurant Ario, Chef Sombright is inspired by his beautiful surroundings and the variety of so many natural resources and ingredients at his disposal. Each night, he takes guests on a culinary journey through his dishes and creates new and lasting experiences for them through his innovative menu.

Chef Jamie Lynch is a New York native and attended the New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, Vermont where he was awarded a degree in Culinary Arts. Upon graduation, Lynch was offered a position by New York Times' four-star Le Cirque 2000 Restaurant in The Palace Hotel. He went on to gain experience at culinary heavyweights Aureole, Café Boulud and Tocqueville before moving to Charlotte in 2002 to pursue his dream and open 5Church. Lynch has garnered many accolades such as being voted Best Chef in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Charlotte Magazine's "Best of the Best" Awards. He currently serves as the Executive Chef and Partner at 5Church Group, overseeing all three restaurant locations in Charlotte, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Atlanta, G.A

Current Residency: Montgomery, ALOccupation: Executive Chef of the State of Alabama and Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission

Jim Smith is the Executive Chef of the State of Alabama and Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission. As the state chef, he has placed an emphasis on using the best local ingredients and has made strides to encourage support of local farmers and Alabama fishers. He uses his position as ambassador of food, to promote farmer's markets and events that support Alabama food products. Smith is not only responsible for the daily preparation of food for the Governor, but he is also responsible for planning and preparing menus for events sponsored by the state. In 2011 he was crowned the King of American Seafood by winning The Great American Seafood-Cook-Off and became the national spokesperson for Alabama Seafood, American Sustainable Seafood, Gulf Seafood and the NOAA. As the winner he traveled the country educating the Americans about the benefits of sustainable seafood. As Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission, Chef Smith is proud to be a part of the great work being done to promote Alabama Seafood and Chef Advocate for Wild American Shrimp. He has also been working closely with The James Beard Foundation as a Boot Camp for Policy and Change Alum and supporter of James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch Sustainable Seafood and Scholarship Programs. Chef Smith is also currently working to open his first restaurant; The Hummingbird Way will open in this spring in Mobile, AL.

Top Chef Season 10: Seattle. Current Residency: Dallas, TX Occupation/Profession: Chef/Partner/Restaurateur, Knife at The Highland Dallas

Three-time James Beard "Best Southwest Chef" semifinalist and Top Chef season 10 contestant John Tesar is known for his stylish, modern American cuisine prepared with classic European techniques, innovative culinary perspective and no-nonsense personality. Throughout his 20+ years in the restaurant industry, which started in La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, he has received national nods from Esquire (named for Best New Restaurants for two consecutive years), FOOD & WINE and The New York Times, has made appearances on The Today Show and The Early Show and won the inaugural season of Food Network's Extreme Chef. Chef Tesar worked in Westhampton, New York and Las Vegas before putting down roots in Dallas in 2007 where he has consulted for the menus at DRG Concepts' Dallas Chop House and most recently Oak in the Design District, to name a few. Knife at The Highland Dallas is Tesar's vision of what a contemporary steakhouse should be. Opened in 2014, the chef-driven restaurant has continued to be recognized for reinventing the steakhouse experience. Most recently Knife's pimento cheeseburger was featured as Best Burger in Dallas on The 50 Greatest Burgers list for Texas Magazine and Best Steakhouse by D Magazine's "Best of Big D's" list. Always looking ahead for the next project, Tesar announced he is working with Flatiron Books and Macmillan on a book, Knife: Modern Steak and All American Meats, that will be published in spring 2017.

Born and raised in the heart of Mexico, the son of a Japanese father and a Mexican mother, Katsuji Tanabe has worked inside LA's most acclaimed kitchens, from the four-star Bastide Restaurant to Beverly Hills' Mastro's Steakhouse. Tanabe owns MexiKosher Restaurant, the first authentic Kosher Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles and arguably the first of its kind in the entire United States. He recently expanded Mexikosher to the Upper West Side of New York City and soon plans to open Baranda in Los Angeles, a more upscale dining experience, named after his daughters Barbara and Miranda. Tanabe is proud to serve his community as a personal mentor and celebrity representative for Jewish Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Los Angeles, where he happily offers his time and expertise for fundraising and volunteer drives for the group, as well as regularly working alongside the children that the group supports teaching healthy eating and cooking alternatives. After competing on Top Chef season 12 in Boston and Top Chef Mexico, Tanabe admits he's addicted to the rush of the competition and is eager to prove he has what it takes to bring home the title.

Diagnosed at a young age with Type 1 Diabetes, Chef Sam Talbot lives every hour with a deep understanding of the impact of food on life and life on food. Talbot was a semi-finalist on season two of Top Chef in Los Angeles where he was voted "Fan Favorite." He is the founding Executive Chef of The Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY and during his time there it became a nationally acclaimed culinary destination. He went on to work with Morgans Hotel Group, opening Imperial No. Nine, a chic sustainable seafood restaurant at the Mondrian SoHo, all while championing his philanthropic causes and publishing his first book, The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries. This past year, Sam launched BEYOND TYPE 1, a non-profit organization focusing on inspiring the Diabetic community, with partners Nick Jonas, Sarah Lucas and Juliet De Baubigny. This fall, he plans to open Pretty Southern, in Brooklyn, a new culinary destination, focusing on clean fried chicken, healthy and elevated southern comfort food.

Born in Hilo, Chef Sheldon Simeon acquired his love for cooking from his parents. His path led from Hilo High to the Culinary Institute of the Pacific onto an internship at Walt Disney World. Upon returning to Hawaii, Simeon attended Maui Culinary Academy. He competed on season 10 of Top Chef in Seattle where he finished as a finalist and won the coveted "Fan Favorite" title. After serving as the executive chef at Maui's Mala Wailea and MiGRANT, he was named in Hawaii Magazine's Top 5 Best Hawaiian Chefs of 2014 and voted FOOD & WINE Magazine's 2014 People's Best New Chef for the Pacific & Northwest. Earlier this year, Simeon opened Tin Roof, a mom and pop eatery in Kahului.

Born and raised in Beijing China, Shirley Chung was exposed to international cuisine at an early age by her grandmother, Liang Si Yi, former Director of The Red Cross in China. She immigrated to America at age 17 for college and worked in Silicon Valley for a few years after graduating. Chung decided to follow her passion for food so she left her career in high tech behind and enrolled in culinary school. She is trained in classic French and Italian cuisine, worked and opened restaurants for Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy and Mario Batali. After she opened CarneVino as Chef de Cuisine for the Batali group, CarneVino earned multiple awards for Best Steak House internationally. Prior to being a finalist on season 11 of Top Chef in New Orleans, she held the Executive Chef Position at China Poblano, by Jose Andres, which was nominated for the Best New Restaurant Award by the James Beard Foundation in 2011. While working at China Poblano, she fell in love with Mexican cuisine and learned more about her own heritage. In 2014, Chung opened Orange County restaurant Twenty Eight, which she describes as modern American cuisine with a Chinese soul.

Silvia Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy where she learned to combine its cuisine rich in butter, cheese and olive oil with the fresh tastes of her mother's southern Calabrian heritage. From "E.Maggia" Stresa culinary school, Barban began to find her way in the kitchen of the Maestro of Italian cuisine, Gualtiero Marchesi. She worked as a pastry chef, learning to cook modern and traditional dessert for Giancarlo Perbellini, and later moving into the kitchen as chef de partie. In 2012, she made the move to New York for the opening of Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina. She was originally meant to be a part of a three month consulting team, but stayed on as sous chef, relishing the opportunity to work in Manhattan. After two years, Barban received an offer to become executive chef at Aita in Brooklyn, and has directed the restaurant using fresh local produce to create traditional and modern Italian dishes from her native Italian heart. She is also the Executive Chef and co-owner of LaRina Pastificio & Vino, working with Giulia Pelliccioni and Roberto Aita.

A French-speaking Haitian native with Manhattan fine-dining sensibilities, Senat is a kitchen-trained chef who learned from some of the absolute best. His culinary journey has taken him from The Sign of The Dove to Aquavit NY to then Jean Georges' restaurant at Trump Hotel where he eventually became Jean-Georges' sous chef. He moved on to become co-chef de cuisine at 66 Leonard Street and Mercer Kitchen. He has also worked overseas in France and San Juan, and upon his return home, he was immediately snatched up by Buddakan in Philadelphia. After two years there, Sylva moved on to become the Executive Chef of Tashan Restaurant and Lounge, a new modern Indian restaurant. Senat was a cornerstone of the success at Tashan and is currently consulting with other restaurants in Philadelphia, while also preparing to open a new restaurant, Maison208, in Center City this winter. He also mentors young students from a program called Career through Culinary Arts, where he also holds a seat on the alumni board.

Emmy-nominated Padma Lakshmi is internationally known as an actress, food expert, model, and The New York Times best-selling author, as well as the recipient of the 2016 NECO Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Padma also serves as host and executive producer of Bravo's Emmy award-winning Top Chef, currently in its 15th season.

Padma was born in India and grew up in America. She graduated from Clark University with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts and American Literature. Known as India's first supermodel, she began her career as a fashion model, working in Europe and the United States.

Padma established herself as a food expert early in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and writing the best-selling Easy Exotic, which won the "Best First Book" award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She followed this success with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, which has over 150 recipes from around the world alongside intriguing personal essays. In 2016, She released her food memoir, The New York Times best-selling Love, Loss and What We Ate, followed shortly thereafter by The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs.

In addition to her food writing, she has also contributed to such magazines as Vogue, Gourmet and both British and American Harper's Bazaar, as well as a syndicated column on fashion and food for The New York Times.

For the Food Network, she hosted Padma's Passport, where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world. She also hosted Planet Food, a documentary series on the Food Network and broadcast worldwide on the Discovery Channel. Padma was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role as host and judge on Bravo's Top Chef, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Show. Other television credits include co-hosting Rai Television's Domenica In, Italy’s highest-rated morning news program.

In 2009, Padma co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America alongside world-renowned Advanced Gynecological Surgeon Tamer Seckin, MD. After suffering from the disease for decades herself, she has been able to make amazing strides with the foundation, like launching the first interdisciplinary research facility in the country for Gynepathology as a joint project between Harvard Medical School and MIT, where she gave the keynote address at the Center’s opening in December 2009. Her efforts were recently recognized on the floor of the New York State Senate, where she succeeded in passing a bill related to teen health initiatives. The organization’s ENPOWR program has currently educated over 15,000 students about endometriosis in high schools across the state of New York.

In addition to these projects, Padma is a savvy businesswoman with multiple companies of her own. Her debut home décor line, The Padma Collection, hit Bloomingdale's stores nationwide with tabletop dishware, stemware and hand-blown glass décor pieces. She also created Padma's Easy Exotic, a collection of culinary products ranging from frozen organic foods, fine teas, and natural spice blends, to hard goods.

One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio returns once again as lead judge for Bravo's 16th season of the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series Top Chef, and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges. He also hosts BravoTV.com's Emmy-Winning Digital Companion Video Series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen.

Tom is also the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which currently includes New York's Craft, Riverpark, Temple Court and newest edition Small Batch; Los Angeles' Craft Los Angeles; and Las Vegas' Heritage Steak and Craftsteak. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. Outside of his fine dining restaurants, Colicchio opened 'Wichcraft – a sandwich and salad fast casual concept rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft – in New York City in 2003.

He has published Think Like a Chef (2000), which won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001; Craft of Cooking (2003); and a sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft (2009). In May 2010, Tom was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.

Tom appears in and served as executive producer on A Place at the Table, Participant Media's documentary about food insecurity in America, produced and directed by his wife, Lori Silverbush, by Kristi Jacobson. A Place at the Table, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures in 2013, has become the launchpad for a national movement centered on ending hunger in the United States.

In an effort to broaden his long-standing social and political activism, Tom co-founded Food Policy Action in 2012 in collaboration with national food policy leaders, in order to hold legislators accountable on votes that have an effect on food and farming. He has also been an outspoken voice on issues like GMO labeling and the use of antibiotics in food sources, and he continues to lobby for better anti-hunger policies in America.

Tom and his restaurants give back to the community by serving on the boards of Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, Wholesome Wave and Food Policy Action. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons. When he's not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending to his garden on the North Fork of Long Island, enjoying a day of fishing or playing guitar.

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on Bravo’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef, currently in its 16th season. She was head critic on Top Chef Masters, host of Top Chef Just Desserts, Bravo’s pastry-focused spinoff of the Top Chef franchise, and was a judge on Universal Kids’ Top Chef Jr. She also hosts Iron Chef Canada and was the co-host of The Feed..

Her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, was released by Grand Central Publishing in October 2017. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features recipes inspired by Gail’s world travels—all made with accessible ingredients and with smart, simple techniques for successful family meals and easy entertaining. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

Gail joined Food & Wine magazine in 2004, where she directs special projects, writing a monthly column and working closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives. During her tenure, she has been responsible for overseeing the annual Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants, and worked as the assistant to Vogue magazine’s esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten. Throughout her career, Gail has contributed to several books, including It Must’ve Been Something I Ate by Steingarten, Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City and The New American Chef, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, “Star Plates”—a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment—premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition, Gail makes frequent television appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachel Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York magazine, Travel + Leisure, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post. Along with her annual appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, she makes regular appearances at the nation’s foremost culinary festivals, including the Austin Food & Wine Festival and Charleston Wine & Food Festival.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, and the Institute of Culinary Education.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy and their two children, Dahlia and Kole.

Graham Elliot, a critically acclaimed chef, restaurateur and television personality, is one of the most recognized faces cooking in America today. Graham, a self-proclaimed "Navy brat" who has traveled the world and all fifty US states, has accrued many prestigious accolades including multiple James Beard Foundation Nominations.

Graham serves as judge on Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series Top Chef alongside Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. He is also the host and star of Bravo's digital series "Going Off the Menu." Before returning to the Top Chef franchise where he appeared on two seasons of Top Chef Masters, Graham spent 10 seasons with MasterChef & MasterChef Jr. As a life-long baseball enthusiast, Major League Baseball has recently tapped him to be the host of their MLB Grub Tour as well as their Culinary Correspondent.

At age 27, Graham became the youngest four-star chef to be named in any major U.S. city and was named one of Food & Wine magazine's "Best New Chefs” in 2004. In May of 2008, he opened his eponymous restaurant, Graham Elliot, which went on to "become one of only 15 restaurants in the U.S. to be awarded two Michelin stars.

Graham returned to Lollapalooza in 2017 as the culinary director, an honor he's held for the past decade. He is also gearing up to launch his first ever restaurant project in Asia, Coast in the upcoming MGM Cotai. In addition, he’ll also be unveiling his new concept, Gideon Sweet on the historic Randolph street in West Loop.

Graham resides full time in Chicago with his wife Allie and his three boys, Mylo, Conrad, and Jedediah.

A Los Angeles native, Amanda Baumgarten attended Le Cordon Bleu in London and went on to work at four different Michelin-starred restaurants including La Tante Claire and Le Gavroche in London and Melisse and Patina in LA. From there, she went on to become Executive Sous Chef of Paperfish before joining Ford's Filling Station as Executive Sous Chef. After competing on season seven of Top Chef in Washington, D.C., she became Executive Chef of Los Angeles's Water Grill. Having helmed one of the city's most acclaimed seafood restaurants, she was recruited to open Herringbone in La Jolla. From there she went on to open her own concept Waypoint Public in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. Currently, Baumgarten is living in Chicago and honing her cocktail skills.

Chef Annie Pettry is a nationally recognized executive chef and owner of Decca in Louisville, KY. After training at the International Culinary Center in New York, she cooked alongside renowned chefs in New York City, Asheville and San Francisco, before moving to Louisville to open Decca in 2012. At her restaurant, Pettry applies classic French technique to Southern and Midwestern ingredients, with an emphasis on wood-fired cooking. She was named Restaurant Hospitality's "15 To Watch in 2015," FOOD & WINE magazine's "The People's Best New Chef" nominee for the southeast in 2015 and Starchefs' Rising Star in 2014.

Chef B.J. Smith is the Owner and Executive Chef of Smokehouse 21, Smokehouse Tavern, and Kim Jong Smokehouse at Pine Street Market in Portland, Oregon as well as the newest location, Smokehouse Provisions, in Vancouver, Washington. Smith brings more than two decades of culinary experience to his role, applying both classic and modern cooking techniques to high quality ingredients provided by local farmers including Cattail Creek Farm, Prairie Creek Farms and Your Kitchen Garden. Growing up in a restaurant family, Smith recalls spending most of his childhood at his parent's Coney Island restaurant in South Bend, Indiana where his first role in food was as a junior prep cook. His love for cooking brought him to the former Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. Post-graduation life led him to the kitchens of nationally acclaimed restaurants: Le Bernardin and Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City, Citrus in Los Angeles and Paley's Place, Veritable Quandary and Olea Restaurant in Portland, Oregon. In his spare time, Chef Smith likes to DJ and loves making music as much as he does food.

Los Angeles native Brooke Williamson has carved out an impressive resume full of leading roles and professional achievement, such as being the youngest female chef to ever cook at the James Beard House and a runner-up on Top Chef season 10 in Seattle. As the co-owner and co-chef, along with husband Nick Roberts, of successful ventures including Hudson House in Redondo Beach, and The Tripel, Playa Provisions, and the culinary retail boutique Tripli-Kit in Playa Del Rey, the culinary duo strives to bring a bit of LA's gourmet beachside vibe to the South Bay of Los Angeles. In October 2016, the wife and husband team debuted their fifth concept, a fast-casual Hawaiian restaurant called Da Kikokiko in Playa Vista, featuring three of Hawaii's most popular street foods: shave ice, poke, and musubi. Before the success of her hospitality empire, Williamson's career began as a teacher's assistant at the Epicurean Institute of Los Angeles, followed by a pastry assistant at Fenix, under the tutelage of Michelin-starred Chef Ken Frank. She later worked as the youngest sous chef at the nationally acclaimed restaurant Michael's of Santa Monica, before staging at the renowned Daniel restaurant by Chef and Owner Daniel Boulud in New York City. Two years later, Williamson was appointed her first Executive Chef position at the notable Los Angeles restaurant Boxer, which led her to opening the Brentwood eatery Zax as executive chef, where she began to develop her signature California-inspired cuisine—infused with local ingredients and global flavors. In addition to her experience competing on Top Chef, Williamson has no fear on camera and has also participated on other national TV shows including Top Chef Duels, winning a battle on Esquire Network's Knife Fight, and hosting MTV's first foodie series, House of Food.

Texas native Casey Thompson made her professional start under celebrity chef Dean Fearing at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, one of Texas' most historical fine dining restaurants. From there, she opened and became the Executive Chef at one of Dallas' most popular Asian restaurants, Shinsei. After finishing as a finalist and earning the "Fan Favorite" title on Top Chef season three in Miami, Thompson settled in San Francisco and traveled the world, learning techniques from places as far as Thailand and Argentina. She became the American Ambassador for an Argentinian Malbec, a brand of Moet-Hennessey, and cooked her way through the Napa Valley learning the art of pairing farmed foods with wines. Thompson split her time between the West Coast and Texas and opened Brownstone Restaurant in Fort Worth to critical acclaim. Shortly after, she returned to Top Chef to compete on season eight in New York City against an All-Star cast. In the spring of 2014, she opened Aveline restaurant and The European bar in the heart of San Francisco. She currently works as the Executive Chef for the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in the San Diego area and continues her private dining business in the Napa Valley.

Emily Hahn, Chef at Warehouse Bar + Kitchen has been cooking in the South for eleven years. Her culinary career began at Mamma Zu in Richmond, Virginia, working directly with Ed Vasaio. After three years at the helm of Mamma Zu's kitchen, Hahn moved to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute. Upon graduating, she made her way to Charleston to work under James Beard Award winner, Mike Lata, at FIG Restaurant. Hahn's passion for foods of different cultures and travel soon led her to Patagonia, Chile, to work at one of the top-rated fly fishing lodges in the world, Martin Pescador Lodge. After returning from Chile, Hahn took a part-time position at Warehouse and eventually took the lead in the kitchen as the Executive Chef, all while growing her empanada business, Empanada Mamma. Her cuisine is bright, flavorful, and elevates simple ingredients in inventive ways. In 2015, Hahn was named one of Charleston's "Rising Star Chefs" by FOOD & WINE Magazine and Eater Charleston's "Chef of the Year."

Current Residency: Marco Island, FLOccupation: Chef de Cuisine at Ario

Leading the culinary team at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort's signature restaurant, Ario, Chef de Cuisine, Gerald Sombright brings his 15 years of experience, culinary pedigree and detail for precision in fine dining restaurants to the kitchen. Sombright originally hails from St. Louis, MO., where he cut his teeth at Cielo restaurant and Annie Gunn's under the tutelage of James Beard Award-winning Chef, Lou Rook. Most recently, Sombright was the restaurant chef for PB&G at the Four Seasons Resort in Orlando under the direction of Award-winning Chef Fabrizio Schenardi. Prior, he headed up the prestigious Wit & Wisdom restaurant at the Four Seasons Baltimore Waterfront led by Celebrity Chef Michael Mina. At his current restaurant Ario, Chef Sombright is inspired by his beautiful surroundings and the variety of so many natural resources and ingredients at his disposal. Each night, he takes guests on a culinary journey through his dishes and creates new and lasting experiences for them through his innovative menu.

Chef Jamie Lynch is a New York native and attended the New England Culinary Institute in Burlington, Vermont where he was awarded a degree in Culinary Arts. Upon graduation, Lynch was offered a position by New York Times' four-star Le Cirque 2000 Restaurant in The Palace Hotel. He went on to gain experience at culinary heavyweights Aureole, Café Boulud and Tocqueville before moving to Charlotte in 2002 to pursue his dream and open 5Church. Lynch has garnered many accolades such as being voted Best Chef in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in Charlotte Magazine's "Best of the Best" Awards. He currently serves as the Executive Chef and Partner at 5Church Group, overseeing all three restaurant locations in Charlotte, N.C., Charleston, S.C., and Atlanta, G.A

Current Residency: Montgomery, ALOccupation: Executive Chef of the State of Alabama and Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission

Jim Smith is the Executive Chef of the State of Alabama and Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission. As the state chef, he has placed an emphasis on using the best local ingredients and has made strides to encourage support of local farmers and Alabama fishers. He uses his position as ambassador of food, to promote farmer's markets and events that support Alabama food products. Smith is not only responsible for the daily preparation of food for the Governor, but he is also responsible for planning and preparing menus for events sponsored by the state. In 2011 he was crowned the King of American Seafood by winning The Great American Seafood-Cook-Off and became the national spokesperson for Alabama Seafood, American Sustainable Seafood, Gulf Seafood and the NOAA. As the winner he traveled the country educating the Americans about the benefits of sustainable seafood. As Chairman of the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission, Chef Smith is proud to be a part of the great work being done to promote Alabama Seafood and Chef Advocate for Wild American Shrimp. He has also been working closely with The James Beard Foundation as a Boot Camp for Policy and Change Alum and supporter of James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch Sustainable Seafood and Scholarship Programs. Chef Smith is also currently working to open his first restaurant; The Hummingbird Way will open in this spring in Mobile, AL.

Top Chef Season 10: Seattle. Current Residency: Dallas, TX Occupation/Profession: Chef/Partner/Restaurateur, Knife at The Highland Dallas

Three-time James Beard "Best Southwest Chef" semifinalist and Top Chef season 10 contestant John Tesar is known for his stylish, modern American cuisine prepared with classic European techniques, innovative culinary perspective and no-nonsense personality. Throughout his 20+ years in the restaurant industry, which started in La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, he has received national nods from Esquire (named for Best New Restaurants for two consecutive years), FOOD & WINE and The New York Times, has made appearances on The Today Show and The Early Show and won the inaugural season of Food Network's Extreme Chef. Chef Tesar worked in Westhampton, New York and Las Vegas before putting down roots in Dallas in 2007 where he has consulted for the menus at DRG Concepts' Dallas Chop House and most recently Oak in the Design District, to name a few. Knife at The Highland Dallas is Tesar's vision of what a contemporary steakhouse should be. Opened in 2014, the chef-driven restaurant has continued to be recognized for reinventing the steakhouse experience. Most recently Knife's pimento cheeseburger was featured as Best Burger in Dallas on The 50 Greatest Burgers list for Texas Magazine and Best Steakhouse by D Magazine's "Best of Big D's" list. Always looking ahead for the next project, Tesar announced he is working with Flatiron Books and Macmillan on a book, Knife: Modern Steak and All American Meats, that will be published in spring 2017.

Born and raised in the heart of Mexico, the son of a Japanese father and a Mexican mother, Katsuji Tanabe has worked inside LA's most acclaimed kitchens, from the four-star Bastide Restaurant to Beverly Hills' Mastro's Steakhouse. Tanabe owns MexiKosher Restaurant, the first authentic Kosher Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles and arguably the first of its kind in the entire United States. He recently expanded Mexikosher to the Upper West Side of New York City and soon plans to open Baranda in Los Angeles, a more upscale dining experience, named after his daughters Barbara and Miranda. Tanabe is proud to serve his community as a personal mentor and celebrity representative for Jewish Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Los Angeles, where he happily offers his time and expertise for fundraising and volunteer drives for the group, as well as regularly working alongside the children that the group supports teaching healthy eating and cooking alternatives. After competing on Top Chef season 12 in Boston and Top Chef Mexico, Tanabe admits he's addicted to the rush of the competition and is eager to prove he has what it takes to bring home the title.

Diagnosed at a young age with Type 1 Diabetes, Chef Sam Talbot lives every hour with a deep understanding of the impact of food on life and life on food. Talbot was a semi-finalist on season two of Top Chef in Los Angeles where he was voted "Fan Favorite." He is the founding Executive Chef of The Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY and during his time there it became a nationally acclaimed culinary destination. He went on to work with Morgans Hotel Group, opening Imperial No. Nine, a chic sustainable seafood restaurant at the Mondrian SoHo, all while championing his philanthropic causes and publishing his first book, The Sweet Life: Diabetes without Boundaries. This past year, Sam launched BEYOND TYPE 1, a non-profit organization focusing on inspiring the Diabetic community, with partners Nick Jonas, Sarah Lucas and Juliet De Baubigny. This fall, he plans to open Pretty Southern, in Brooklyn, a new culinary destination, focusing on clean fried chicken, healthy and elevated southern comfort food.

Born in Hilo, Chef Sheldon Simeon acquired his love for cooking from his parents. His path led from Hilo High to the Culinary Institute of the Pacific onto an internship at Walt Disney World. Upon returning to Hawaii, Simeon attended Maui Culinary Academy. He competed on season 10 of Top Chef in Seattle where he finished as a finalist and won the coveted "Fan Favorite" title. After serving as the executive chef at Maui's Mala Wailea and MiGRANT, he was named in Hawaii Magazine's Top 5 Best Hawaiian Chefs of 2014 and voted FOOD & WINE Magazine's 2014 People's Best New Chef for the Pacific & Northwest. Earlier this year, Simeon opened Tin Roof, a mom and pop eatery in Kahului.

Born and raised in Beijing China, Shirley Chung was exposed to international cuisine at an early age by her grandmother, Liang Si Yi, former Director of The Red Cross in China. She immigrated to America at age 17 for college and worked in Silicon Valley for a few years after graduating. Chung decided to follow her passion for food so she left her career in high tech behind and enrolled in culinary school. She is trained in classic French and Italian cuisine, worked and opened restaurants for Thomas Keller, Guy Savoy and Mario Batali. After she opened CarneVino as Chef de Cuisine for the Batali group, CarneVino earned multiple awards for Best Steak House internationally. Prior to being a finalist on season 11 of Top Chef in New Orleans, she held the Executive Chef Position at China Poblano, by Jose Andres, which was nominated for the Best New Restaurant Award by the James Beard Foundation in 2011. While working at China Poblano, she fell in love with Mexican cuisine and learned more about her own heritage. In 2014, Chung opened Orange County restaurant Twenty Eight, which she describes as modern American cuisine with a Chinese soul.

Silvia Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy where she learned to combine its cuisine rich in butter, cheese and olive oil with the fresh tastes of her mother's southern Calabrian heritage. From "E.Maggia" Stresa culinary school, Barban began to find her way in the kitchen of the Maestro of Italian cuisine, Gualtiero Marchesi. She worked as a pastry chef, learning to cook modern and traditional dessert for Giancarlo Perbellini, and later moving into the kitchen as chef de partie. In 2012, she made the move to New York for the opening of Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina. She was originally meant to be a part of a three month consulting team, but stayed on as sous chef, relishing the opportunity to work in Manhattan. After two years, Barban received an offer to become executive chef at Aita in Brooklyn, and has directed the restaurant using fresh local produce to create traditional and modern Italian dishes from her native Italian heart. She is also the Executive Chef and co-owner of LaRina Pastificio & Vino, working with Giulia Pelliccioni and Roberto Aita.

A French-speaking Haitian native with Manhattan fine-dining sensibilities, Senat is a kitchen-trained chef who learned from some of the absolute best. His culinary journey has taken him from The Sign of The Dove to Aquavit NY to then Jean Georges' restaurant at Trump Hotel where he eventually became Jean-Georges' sous chef. He moved on to become co-chef de cuisine at 66 Leonard Street and Mercer Kitchen. He has also worked overseas in France and San Juan, and upon his return home, he was immediately snatched up by Buddakan in Philadelphia. After two years there, Sylva moved on to become the Executive Chef of Tashan Restaurant and Lounge, a new modern Indian restaurant. Senat was a cornerstone of the success at Tashan and is currently consulting with other restaurants in Philadelphia, while also preparing to open a new restaurant, Maison208, in Center City this winter. He also mentors young students from a program called Career through Culinary Arts, where he also holds a seat on the alumni board.